Pool of Blood, Change of Heart
by briravesta99
Summary: Both Clarke and Bellamy are initially in denial about their feelings for each other, trying to hide behind fake smiles and short glances, but when Bellamy nearly loses his leg during a grounder attack, the two are forced together. Meanwhile, tensions run high as Finn notices the two becoming closer, causing a major snap...
1. Pool of Blood, Change of Heart

19

**Bellamy & Clarke**

Clarke

"Clarke! Clarke, we need you, now!" Octavia's voice seems to cry, filled with a pained desperation.

I practically leap from my tent, sprinting out to see what's wrong. _Finn_ was in the group that went to find food this morning, and he's all I can think about now.

_What if it's him? What if he's hurt? What if the grounders got to them while they were out, and he's not here at all?_

My mind screams as I run, and my heart stops when I see him, covered head to toe in blood.

"Finn!" I shout, running into his arms and pulling him against me. "Are you alright? What happened?"

"I'm fine, the blood- it isn't mine-"

"Clarke!" Octavia cries again, and then I know whose blood covers Finn: _Bellamy's._

My face loses all its color, and I rip myself from Finn's arms, darting towards the bed where the others laid Bellamy. His left leg is gushing blood despite its tight-looking wrap, and I scramble to find my kit.

"Hey, Princess." Bellamy groans, and I can't help but smile down at him.

I don't reply, too flustered by his rapidly deteriorating condition, which seems to piss him off when, for once, I actually didn't mean to rile him up. He scowls, and I suddenly feel bad for-

"I can help if you need." Finn's sweet voice soars over my shoulder as he stands behind me in the tents entrance, making me realize the possibility that Bellamy's glare wasn't at me.

"No, you need to rest." Raven says in her snake-like tone, making me cringe. I can't see them, but somehow, I can_ feel_ her touch on his body.

"I'm fine-"

"You're not-"

"Would you two both get the fuck outta here?" Bellamy snarls at them, and my heart thanks him.

I try to hide it, I truly do, but I can't help loving Finn. I can't look away- turn the other cheek- each night when they fall asleep together.

"Careful, Princess. I need that." Bellamy hisses, making me realize my unfocussed haste in stitching up his leg.

"Sorry." I mumble, gently holding his calf down as I continue to stitch. "What happened out there?"

"Grounders. They're still pissed about the 'torture' thing, and the failed peace treaty, too. You can thank your fuck-buddy for that one."

"He is _not_ my-"

"Only because he has a girlfriend. If Raven wasn't here, I'm sure you'd be _all_ over him."

"You're playing a dangerous game, pissing me off while I've got a needle in your leg. Keep talking shit like that and I swear-"

"Hah, sure, Princess." Bellamy chuckles, and my face becomes hot. I finish stitching him up in silence, then check for any signs of infection before wrapping him back up and heading out.

_No one can piss me off like Bellamy Blake. _

I think, practically boiling as I step out from the tent. Why he has that kind of power over me I do not understand, and it makes me want to keep a good distance from him. The problem is: I also understand that I need him. He and I, as much as I hate to admit it, are more alike than I allow myself to recognize. And when he killed that boy who attacked me… I still _see_ it. It plays, over and over again, in the back of my mind, and I can't get it out. I see it in my dreams, when I'm asleep, and when I'm awake, too. And when I saw him, Bellamy, covered in blood from his sliced up leg, I saw it again, and I panicked, more than I had panicked when I thought it might be Finn that was hurt.

_No… No, I care for Finn way more than I do for Bellamy. Hell, I think I _love_ Finn, and Bellamy… Bellamy? Really? No, never. He and I need to stick together because we are the leaders, and because the others need us. Otherwise, we would be far, far apart. There is_ no_ 'me and Bellamy'. Not now, not _ever…_ Right?_

Bellamy

_God fucking damn it Bellamy, you've really outdone yourself this time. Jackass. _

I snort, pressing my head back into the pillow and rolling my eyes. Somehow I always manage to piss her off: Clarke. Now she won't even look at me. I should know by now: don't joke about Finn. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

My mind is eating away at itself, because now, I want more than power. I want more than to just be 'the leader'.

_I want _Clarke.

The thought makes me smirk, imagining her with me. But she still wants Finn, that cheating fuck, even though he hurts her every day with the way he looks at Raven. What an ass, and that's coming from me.

I chuckle again, but it turns into a sneer as I begin to feel the numbness in my leg fading, leaving me in writhing pain. I groan, fists clenched and eyes closed tight.

"Are you alright?" Clarke. She came back.

I can't help but smirk, opening my eyes again and attempting to hide my pain from her.

"I'm doing just fine, Princess, how about you?"

She rolls her eyes and turns to go, but I can't let her, not again.

"Princess, wait." I call after her, sounding more desperate than I intended. Fuck.

She pauses in the entrance of the tent and looks back at me, expecting.

"Stay with me?" I murmur quietly.

I barely even recognize the voice as my own, its too soft.

_Weak. Weak and desperate, great fucking job._

I close my eyes again, waiting for her to leave. A few moments later, my chest heats up, and I open my eyes again to see her small, gentile hand resting in the middle of it.

"You didn't leave?" I whisper, confused.

"If you want me to go, I'll go, but you asked me to stay-"

"Stay. Please, _stay_." I look down from her eyes to her lips, then back to her eyes again, and she moves her body closer to mine so that her side is touching mine, all the way down. I put my left arm around her so that my hand rests on her shoulder blade, and she sighs softly, nuzzling her head into the crook of my neck.

_How the fuck did I manage this? _

I think, grinning. Her eyes are closed, and her breathing has slowed, revealing her comfort. Our bodies are touching in so many places it's hard to keep track, but all the same, I try to take it all in. Nothing could ruin-

"Clarke?" Finn says sharply, striding uninvited into the tent.

_Mother fucker. _

"Yeah?" Clarke answers, pulling herself from my arms. She seems embarrassed and ashamed, which stings like a bitch.

"Get the fuck out, Finn!" I yell, trying to sit up on the bed. My attempt sends waves of pain crashing through my leg, and I groan again.

"Here, here, you need to lay down." Clarke says softly, putting one hand on my back and another on my chest, laying me back down. "I'll be back." She whispers, smiling down at me.

"No, stay. My leg, it kills, I need you." I order.

"Clarke, we _really_ need to talk." Finn says sternly, making my fists clench.

"Like hell you do."

"Bellamy, relax." Clarke sounds annoyed, which pisses me off even more.

"Fine, whatever." I roll my eyes, turning my head the other way.

"Bellamy-"

"Go. And don't bother coming back." I hiss, closing my eyes. I wait a long moment before realizing that I fucked up again.

"Clarke, wait!" I order, but she and Finn are already gone. I'm alone now, and all I can think about is her. How I wanted her, to be with her. I wanted kiss her, and to kiss her neck, and to pull her on top of me. I lose myself in a fantasy, where she comes in to re-wrap my wound, and she climbs on top of me so that she can wrap it without moving my leg all that much. When she is finished, I put my arms around her and slide her slowly up my body until she is sitting on my hips. She then leans down and kisses me, hard, and I press her head down against mine. She then pulls off her shirt, keeping her eyes locked on mine, and then unclips her bra. I fumble to pull down my pants as she undoes her own, and then she sits back down, _on_ me. The daydream is so real I can almost feel her, her lips on my lips, and myself inside her. But then my mind is filled with another thought: Finn.

_What is that little fuck doing to my woman..? _My_ woman. Mine_. Clarke_ is _mine.

I think, over and over again, and the more I repeat it, the more I want it, _need_ it, _need_ _her._ I have to tell her, I can't hide it anymore. I've never felt this way about anyone before, but now that I do, there's no stopping it. And there's no way Finn is going to take this away from me, that cheating, grounder-befriending, peace-loving fucker.

I slowly try to sit up again, putting most of my weight on my arms. My entire body stings, but I ignore it. I've been hurt worse than this before, many times, and I know I'll hurt a hell of a lot worse if I lay here while Finn is out there trying to take advantage of Clarke again.

_I have to find Clarke, right now. I have to find her, and I have to make her _mine.

Clarke

"What is it, Finn?" I ask, shaken. The whole situation with Bellamy has me confused… I mean, he was such an ass while I was trying to fix his leg, hell he's always an ass, but when he asked me to stay… I stayed. I _had_ to stay.

"First, what was that with you and Bellamy?" Finn seems to sneer, and my hands become hot.

"Why does it matter?" I sneer back, annoyed. "You have no right to care anyway, you have Raven."

"But I want_ you_." He pleads, and I feel as though I will fall to him, fall into his arms and never leave. But something holds me back now, keeps me away… _Bellamy?_

"Raven needs you, I'll be fine alone-"

"Or, with Bellamy, you mean?" Finn interrupts me, and I find myself somewhat angry at him for the very first time.

"I am _not _with Bellamy!" I hiss at him, narrowing my eyes and crossing my arms.

"Sorry, I just… I got jealous, seeing you lying there with him. I want to lay with you like that, to be with you, like I was before…"

"Before your _girlfriend_ came down? Finn, that's awful!" Tears swell up in my eyes and my blood boils, frustration and confusion consuming me.

"Clarke, please!" Finn begs, tugging at my shirt, but I pull away.

"I should go." I mutter, quickly turning away to leave, but Finn won't let that happen. He pushes me up against the cold, hard wood of the wall and slams his face into mine, furiously kissing me. I have longed to kiss him again ever since Raven came down, but now, suddenly, his kiss feels… _wrong. _

"Stop." I whisper, trying to pull away, but he forces me back into him.

"Stop, Finn, stop it!" I say, getting louder, but he won't listen.

"I need you, Clarke." He whispers into my neck, beginning to kiss down my body.

"No, listen to me, you need to stop!"

He holds me tighter.

"You're hurting me, stop!" I'm gasping for air now, torn apart by so many mixed and conflicting emotions screaming within me.

"She said stop!" Bellamy yells, and suddenly Finn is torn from me and thrown to the ground. Then he kicks him, twice in the ribs, once in the head, and for some stupid reason I can't stop crying.

"Bellamy, Bellamy stop!" I sob, putting a hand firmly on his chest in the same spot I'd rested it when we'd laid together.

He stops kicking Finn, looking to me now, and his stone-cold face lightens, bearing a concern and care I have never seen in him before.

"Are you hurt?" he asks, gently taking my hand in his.

"I'm fine, but you, your leg-"

"Don't worry about that, I'm hard to kill." He smirks, and I can't help but smirk as well, despite my jarring body.

"Bellamy, you fucker!" Finn yells, getting to his feet.

"Me? You assaulted a woman!"

"What happened to 'no rules'? Wasn't it _you_ who said that?"

"So having no rules justifies rape? I don't think so, neither does _Clarke_, and I'm sure _Raven_ won't _either._"

"I don't give a _fuck_ what_ Raven_ thinks, all_ I_ want is _Clarke_, so you'd better get the fuck out of my way, or I swear-"

"Stop it, please, both of you!" I start to cry again, stepping in between them.

"Go back to Raven, Finn." I plead, and his face drains all of its color.

"This isn't over-"

"_Yes._ It _is._ Now go." I whisper, breaking inside. "Go."

Finn turns away, walks away, and that's it.

I'm broken.

Bellamy

We are alone together now, but I have no fucking clue what to say. In retrospect, I should have planned this part out instead of having sex fantasies, but it's too late now.

"Clarke?" I whisper, with no clue what I'm going to say next.

But I don't have to say anything at all- she wraps her arms around me and sobs softly into my chest as I stand there, silently holding her against me. I have no idea how to comfort another human being, but I try. I run my fingers through her hair, and gently rock her back and fourth in my arms as she cries, and eventually, she stops.

"I'm so sorry, your leg must be in agony, standing here for such a long time, I shouldn't have-"

"No, no, I'm fine." I lie, faking a smile. My leg feels like its on fire, to tell the truth, but Clarke doesn't need to know.

"Here, let me help you back to your tent." She mumbles, wiping her eyes with her sleeves. "I'll support you. Put your arm around me."

"Gladly." I smile, which makes her chuckle.

We walk slowly back to the tent, as I can only move so fast, and when we get there, she gently helps me back onto the bed.

"Hey-"

"Shhh, you need to rest." She says, climbing onto the bed beside me and re-taking her earlier position.

"Whatever you say, Doc." I tease, and she smiles.

"Is Doc and upgrade or a downgrade from Princess?" she teases back, and I find myself smiling too.

"Don't worry about it, you're always gonna be Princess." I run my fingers through her hair, and her eyes lock on mine for a long moment.

_Kiss her, kiss her, kiss her now!_

But her lips are already on mine before I make my move. I eagerly press my lips back against hers, coaxing her head forwards. I smile as I kiss her, and I can feel her smiling back, wanting me as I want her. I wrap my other arm around her and use it to pull her body into mine. My leg kills, but I ignore the pain. It's so worth it.

I start kissing down her neck, and she moans softly, making me more aroused even than I was earlier when I was having sex dreams about her. I practically tear my shirt off, taking her hands and holding them against my chest. She seems impressed with my body, and I can't help but grin.

"Holy shit, Bellamy." She smirks, running her hands down my chest to my abs, then farther. She then uses one of her hands to play with the hem of her shirt, twisting it around her fingers, teasing me.

"Damn you're frustrating." I chuckle, my eyes locked on her twirling fingers.

She smiles down at me, then turns her head away. I'm about to say something when she turns back.

"Can you do it for me?" she asks in a whisper, taking my hot hands and setting them down at the hem of her shirt.

"Of course." I say, beginning to pull up, but something stops me… care, I think. I really do care about her… "Are you sure you wanna do this?"

"Yeah." She nods, but I'm not convinced.

"You don't have to." I whisper, taking her gentile face in my hands.

"But I_ want_ to. I want _you._" she smiles, and I lose control.

My hands find the hem of her shirt and I pull, all the way up, taking it off her. She presses her lips passionately back against mine as she unclips her bra, and I hear it softly hit the ground. Shamelessly, my eyes lock on her chest, and she chuckles, taking my hands and pressing them against her boobs.

"Wow" I grin, under my breath, as she leans into me and begins kissing down my neck.

_This… this is too fucking good to be true. It can't be. This can't be real. _

Clarke

_This can't be real._

I think, my body exploding with wild sensation. Bellamy's hands on me… they feel so _right._

My shaking hands fumble and trip while trying to undo his pants, but he doesn't seem to notice my clumsiness. His tongue slides along my neck as he kisses me, harder and harder, and I feel him give me a hickey.

As soon as his pants are off and on the ground, he takes off mine, impressively releasing me from them in a five second span. Before I can make a clever, snide remark about his quickness, two of his fingers are inside of me, and my muscles tighten. I moan, and he leans into me, kissing me at first, then softly biting my bottom lip. My body seems to melt beneath his touch, completely and utterly enthralled.

His fingers slide out, and I feel him position himself.

"Ready?" he whispers gently but firmly, kissing down my neck, making me yearn for him.

"God yes." I gasp, turning my head so that his lips find mine as he slides himself into me. I feel full, complete, and undoubtedly under Bellamy's spell. He has me now, all of me, and he is in control. I moan as he shifts our bodies so that he is on top of me, and wrap my shaking arms around his strong, muscular back. I feel his muscles expanding beneath my fingertips, though all my mind will focus on is his presence in my core.

He seems so far down, maybe all the way to my stomach even, and with each thrust he seems to go deeper. I can feel myself fast approaching my limit, making my fingers subconsciously claw at his back. His eyes lock with mine, and he smiles down at me, clearly amused by my scratching. I try to smile back at him, but my face contorts as my body begins to give way to him.

"Bellamy-" I gasp, just before I become unable to form words. My body convulses, electrified with his given sensation, and seemingly shatters under his strong, protective body.

"Holy shit." He moans, slowing down to kiss me. His kiss is soft and gentile, but so passionate at the same time. Bellamy is nothing like Finn was, the two cannot even be compared. Bellamy is just… everything. Caring, passionate, gentile but rough at the same time, he's… he's exactly what I want. _All_ I want. _All_ that _matters. _

My body regains its strength, and Bellamy speeds up again, pushing himself even farther into me than before. Once again, I feel my body undoing itself under his touch, completely captivated by his completing presence inside me. I feel the sensation taking me over again, this time stronger than before, and I moan his name even louder. Just as I feel my body submitting to him, his face contorts, and we release almost simultaneously. The feeling of his seed shooting up inside of me is indescribable, and I have to gasp for air. Bellamy collapses on top of me, kissing my cheek for a long moment before nuzzling his head into my breast.

I can't help but smile, gazing down at him and stroking his dark, wavy hair. He is so beautiful, so completely enchanting.

"Hey Clarke?" He whispers, looking up at me with caring eyes.

"Yeah?"

"Will you… can you… Hmm." He mutters, then pauses for a long moment. "Will you be my girlfriend?" he asks finally, and my heart jumps.

"I was hoping you'd ask that: of course. Wait, you… you called me _Clarke._ Not Princess, but _Clarke_." I smile, mesmerized.

"Yeah, I guess I did." He smiles back at me, wrapping his arm around me. He then closes his eyes, and his breathing slows, revealing his comfort with me.

_I was wrong. There_ is_ a 'me and Bellamy'. And right now, in this moment, I can't help but hope that there _always_ will be. _

19


	2. Clear Water, Scrambled Mind

12

**Clear Water, Scrambled Mind**

Clarke

The sweet sensation of soft lips on my cheeks wakes me from my sleep. I open my eyes, and I see him, Bellamy, laying next to me. He gazes at me with gentile eyes, and smiles, not one of his sexy, cool, 'I don't give a shit about anything' smirks, but a smile, and I can't help but smile back at him.

"Good morning, Princess." He whispers, his eyes shifting down to my lips, then back up to my eyes again.

"I think so too." I nod as he wraps his strong, protective arm around me, pulling me into him. His gaze shifts again, but this time he doesn't hesitate. I feel his lips on mine before my eyes even see him move forwards.

"You two?_ Really_?" Octavia's voice slices through our morning bliss.

I jump, wrenching the blanket up to cover myself, but Bellamy only laughs.

"How many times have I told you not to come into my tent, little sister?" he chuckles, his eyes light.

Octavia is grinning too now, filling me with relief. I'm glad she's ok with us.

_Us. I can't get over that word, for Bellamy and I. Us. It seemed so distant, so impossible, so… _wrong, _but_ I_ was so wrong. Us. Maybe if I keep thinking it, over and over, it'll sink in. Us. Us. Us-_

"Clarke?" Octavia says impatiently, waving her hand to get my attention.

"Oh sorry about that, I'm not really awake yet. What'd you say?" I reply, feeling my cheeks redden.

"You seemed pretty awake a second ago." Octavia chuckles. My cheeks get redder. "Anyway, I was wondering if you and Bellamy wanted to come down for a swim? Jasper found a clean river this morning."

"I'd love to, but are you sure you're alright swimming?" I ask, remembering Octavia's initial attempt at swimming, when the sea creature had yanked her under.

"I'll be alright. I'm pretty hard to kill."

"Damn right you are." Bellamy laughs, "give us a minute to get un-naked." Bellamy nods, cockily, and I find myself blushing again.

Once Octavia had gone, I ask "couldn't you have just said 'get dressed'?"

"Yeah, but I wanted to emphasize that we're naked." He grins, making me laugh. He then pulls me in for a quick kiss before standing to find clothes. His face contorts as he gets to his feet, and suddenly I remember his injured leg.

"Are you-"

"I'm fine, just a little sore." Bellamy cuts me off, unknowingly alerting me of his pain.

"We don't have to go-"

"Clarke, _really_. I'm alright." He smiles, and I can't help smiling back at him. Despite my nakedness, he holds eye contact, which is quite impressive. My smile grows as I pull on a shirt and the pants I wore yesterday, wondering how Bellamy could be so polite. When I'm finished, he takes my hand in his, and we leave the tent to find Octavia and Jasper. _Together._

Bellamy

"You guys ready?" Octavia grins, her eyes shifting mockingly between Clarke and I.

"Yeah we're good." I answer, "let's go."

Jasper leads us out of the camp, then down a narrow path through tall trees and red flowers. I try to take in where we are, so that if we get lost I can find a way for us to get back, but I can't pull my mind from Clarke, her small, gentile hand in mine. The sunlight makes her blonde hair seem to glow against her dark brown shirt, which fits her quite nicely. I mentally slap myself when I realize where my eyes are.

_What if she saw you staring? Stupid, Bellamy, just fucking stupid. But then again, you did somehow manage to keep eye contact while she was putting clothes on this morning, so that's gotta count for something. I hope she noticed, probably not, but I hope she did. _

"Here we are." Jasper announces, pulling a large tree branch back to reveal a sparkling, glassy blue river. "C'mon!" he yells, ripping off his clothes. He then breaks into a sprint, bounding towards the water.

"Clarke!" I shout, but she's already stripped down to her bra and underwear and running too, Octavia beside her. I quickly pull off my clothes and start sprinting to catch up with them, yet again completely ignoring my injured leg, and when I reach Clarke, I throw my arms around her and fling her onto my shoulder, proceeding to sprint while carrying her. My rapid gesture makes her scream playfully and burst out laughing, making me laugh too. I haven't been able to _stop_ smiling and laughing since yesterday, and right now, the way things are with Clarke, I don't think I ever will.

The cold water feels phenomenal on my still throbbing leg, and I let out a loud sigh as I plunge into it, Clarke still slung over my right shoulder.

"Put me down!" Clarke giggles, gently and playfully 'punching' my bare back.

I slowly slide her down my body and into the water, locking my eyes on hers. She wraps her arms around me, smiling, and leans her head onto my shoulder.

"You call that swimming?" Octavia taunts from where the river is actually too deep to stand.

"We're coming." I sigh, annoyed that I'll have to pull myself away from Clarke in order to not drown. Clarke sighs as well, alerting me she'd had the same realization.

We slowly wade in deeper, still holding hands, until our feet no longer touch the ground beneath the river and we have to let go of each other to tread water.

"Isn't this amazing!" Octavia shrills, smiling at Jasper. I notice his face redden, and for the first time, I'm not upset about someone having feelings for my sister. Maybe it's because Jasper is genuinely a good guy, but I think a large part of it is that being with Clarke, even though it's only been a day, makes me want to be… I don't know, not an asshole? Yeah, that's it.

I nod my head, smirking. "It really is. Why don't we keep this place our little secret, hmm? So the others don't junk it up."

"Sounds good to me." Jasper grins, then submerges himself.

"Hey! What the hell is going on?" A voice shouts angrily from the trees where we'd run through. _Finn._ That fucker, can't he take a hint?

"I'm sorry, were we not subtle enough for you yesterday?!" I yell, my hands becoming hot. "Clarke doesn't want you near her!"

"Stay out of this, Bellamy!" he screams, darting towards the river. "Look, Clarke, I'm sorry for last night alright, I was frustrated and I got really upset when I saw you with Bellamy, but please, just hear me out. I need you, I _love_ you. Don't let him do this to us, please, Clarke, listen to me."

_Well this is just fucking fantastic, another perfect moment killed by this douchebag. _

I look to Clarke, and see that her face has changed. She's frowning, biting her lip too, and the fact that she's actually considering talking things out with Finn infuriates me.

"Clarke." whisper, taking her face in my hand.

She cups her hand over mine, smoothing over my fingers with her own. My hands cool down, the anger draining from my body.

"Clarke-"

"I'll be back." She whispers, releasing my hand and swimming away, away to _Finn. _My hands are hot again, burning this time, and I feel like I'd be powerful enough to punch a whole right through the fucking _Arc._ My eyes follow her and Finn, all the way across the grass and into the woods until I can't see them anymore. Then I lock my eyes on the trees, and wait for their return. Damn does time pass slowly...

Clarke

Finn leads me into the woods, just far enough in so that Bellamy, Jasper and Octavia can't see us, and then he turns to face me, his face practically colorless.

"Clarke, I'm… I am so, so, so sorry for last night, I was… God, I was so fucking stupid!" he whimpers, anger and sorrow showing through his gentile, brown eyes.

"I know, Finn. Don't worry about it, ok?" I try to comfort him, but he turns his face away, averting my eyes.

"Are you hurt?" he asks, his voice trembling.

"No, Finn, I'm _fine._ You didn't hurt me, and I'm not mad at you either. I just… we shouldn't be alone together, it's not fair to Raven or Bellamy-"

"What?" he hisses, his eyes locked on mine, hard, consumed by the darkness of rage.

"I said you didn't-"

"No, not that: _Bellamy. _What is going on with you and _Bellamy_?!" Finn sneers, and I feel my color draining.

"Bellamy and I… Finn, last night, we… We…" I choke up, unable to form words. I thought I'd moved on from Finn, but I haven't. Far from it. I can't hurt him like this, I can't. I _won't. _

"Clarke, did you sleep with Bellamy?" Finn whispers in a low, crackled voice, his hands beginning to shake.

"No! No, Finn, he kissed me, that's all, just a kiss!" I lie, my thoughts scrambling to fix the situation.

"Oh, oh my God, Clarke you scared me there." his eyes find mine again, and he smiles at me, making me feel relieved. "It'd kill me, if you slept with him I mean. Look, I'm gonna make things right between us, ok? I'm… I'm gonna end it with Raven. I need you, Clarke, the way I love you… I _need_ you." He whispers, and a tear escapes me. He moves his hand up to my face to wipe it away, and I smile up at him. Before I can respond, he leans in and kisses me, and his kiss feels _right_ again. My lips fit into his again, and our passion and love and need for each other returns. My thoughts are still scrambled and tangled, but my mind is not blank. Right now, in this moment, I can place two thoughts: 1) I'm in love with Finn, and 2) I'm in love with Bellamy. Half of me screams Finn and the other half creams Bellamy, tearing me completely in half. I cannot focus on Finn's kiss anymore, or anything for that matter, with the exception of the screaming. The loud, loud screaming that lives only within my own mind.

"I should go back, before Bellamy comes looking for me." I whisper, pulling my lips from Finn's.

"Alright, that's probably wise. I should go, I need to talk with Raven-"

"Finn wait!" I say, out of breath. "Don't, not yet."

"Why not? Clarke, I wanna be with you-"

"I know, I know. Just… just give it a day or two, for me? Please?"

"Why do you need-"

"Just, please, Finn. A day or two, that's all I'm asking." I beg with my eyes, and he nods.

"Ok. A day or two, I can live with that." He smiles down at me, kissing me gently before turning back towards camp and disappearing into the trees.

In my solitude, I try to grasp what has just happened, what I'd just done… But I don't want to. My mind has snapped back again, but will still focus on those two thoughts.

_I love Finn, I love Bellamy. Maybe if I keep thinking it, over and over, it'll sink in. I love Finn, I love Bellamy. I love Finn, I love Bellamy. I love Finn, I love Bellamy. Damn. _

Bellamy

I see Clarke come emerge from the trees alone, the operative word being 'alone', and I'm filled with relief.

_Good. She sent Finn away again. She really is _mine.

I smile, shaking my head. "We missed you, Princess!" I call out to her, motioning for her to come towards us. I want her to run, the way she ran when we'd first arrived here, but she doesn't. She flashes a quick smile, but it's forced, faked, and it makes my heart drop.

Now I have to know what Finn said to her, what they'd talked about. Just ten minutes ago she was smiling, and laughing, and holding me in her arms, but now… she's walking. Not running, _walking._ My mind reels, screaming the same phrase over and over and over again.

_She's walking. She's walking. She's walking. _

"Clarke, c'mon!" Octavia shouts to her, making her slightly increase her pace. It doesn't matter, she's still walking. _Why_ is she _walking? _I swim towards the riverbank to meet her as she wades back into the water, filled with anxiety.

"What happened, you seem upset." I say, more harshly than I'd intended to.

"I'm ok, really, it's fine." She shakes off the question, avoiding my gaze.

"Clarke, look at me." I whisper, tilting her head up to face mine. "If he did anything to you-"

"No, no. He didn't." she says, distantly. The coldness in her voice gives me actual chills, and I find myself angry again.

"Clarke, what's upsetting you?" I ask her, half pleading. She seems so far away now, and it hurts, _really_ hurts. Just ten minutes ago she was happy, _we _were happy, and now, now that _Finn_ has come back into this… He did something to her, I can _feel_ it.

"Clarke, please." I whisper, holding her face in my hands again.

"I… I don't know what to do, Bellamy, I just… I don't know anymore… He… Finn kissed me." She chokes out, and I can tell she's breaking inside, so I try to keep my cool.

"Does that mean you two are together again?" I ask, trying hard to keep my voice level. If she says yes though, I don't know if I'll be able to keep my shit together.

Clarke

He's trying to keep it together, acting like he doesn't care, but his eyes give him away.

"Clarke-" he begs again, and I can't avoid him anymore. My head is still screaming, the same two thoughts encircling me.

_I love Finn, I love Bellamy. I love Finn, I love Bellamy. I love Finn, I love Bellamy. But I have to choose, before something bad happens between the two of them. I couldn't bear to see either get hurt, especially not by the other. I love Finn, I love Bellamy. So the question stands: who do I love more? _

I close my eyes, take a deep breath, and then I know. I know who I want.

12


	3. Love Makes Us Choose

18

**Love Makes Us Choose**

Clarke

Bellamy wants words, but I can't find them. All I can find within myself is the strength to press my lips against his, coaxing him back into my body. His eyes open wide at first, clearly taken by surprise, but he kisses me back, closing them, and the very stars seem to align. I can feel his heart pounding against my chest, seemingly forcing itself through my skin and into my chest to become one with my own heart. He pulls away slowly, and his kiss lingers on my trembling lips.

"You." I manage to choke out, before tears swell up in my eyes. "I want _you_, not Finn. _You_, Bellamy."

He doesn't answer, he simply takes my face in his warm, strong hand and smiles softly down at me. We share a blissful silence for a long moment, just staring searchingly into each others' eyes, until Bellamy finally speaks.

"I'd tell you that I want only _you_, and try to stutter my way through some complements or something like that, but you seem to hear me more clearly when I don't say anything at all." He grins, half-chuckling. I feel myself form a grin, which widens as he proceeds to take my hands in his.

"But for the record," he continues, "You are really fucking beautiful."

I'm laughing now, and I can feel my face reddening.

"Hey love birds! We're gonna head back, you coming?" Octavia taunts, stepping from the river with Jasper, who's practically sewn to her hip.

"Nah, we'll be back in a little. Try to hold down the fort, would ya, little sister?" Bellamy smirks, and Octavia shakes her head.

"No promises." She sneers before turning away. Bellamy and I watch she and Jasper walk all the way up the hill and disappear back into the trees, fully clothed just as they had come. I can feel Bellamy become tense, showing me that, despite what he says, he still constantly worries for Octavia.

"It's sweet you care so much." I whisper, leaning against his chest.

"You have no _idea _what it's like to have a sibling. They're so damn difficult." He replies, shaking his head.

"You know what's crazy?"

"Besides you?" he grins, and I start laughing again.

"Yes, Bellamy, _besides _me." I groan, playfully punching his shoulder.

"Tell me." He smirks, raising an eyebrow at me. My heart jumps, and I lose my train of thought. My mind scrambles to find it again, and after an extended moment I remember.

"Now that we're down here, there's no population limit. _Everyone _could have siblings… That's _crazy_…" I sigh, astounded. I lose myself for a moment, completely encircled by my own thoughts. Now that we are down here, back on Earth, there truly is no limit to what we can do. Well, no limit but the _Grounders. _

My body trembles just from thinking about them, and Bellamy picks up on my sudden uneasiness.

"You ok? You're not cold, are you?" he asks, concerned.

"I'm fine, just had a bad thought. Come to think of it, though, I actually am getting kind of cold." I reply, running my fingers along my goose-bump covered arms. With that, Bellamy picks me up and slings me over his strong shoulder as he did when carrying me down into the river, and I can't help but smile again. He then carries me all the way back up the hill to where our clothing lies, putting me down there.

He respectfully turns away again as I put my clothes back on, and once again I find myself both impressed and intrigued by his restraint. Then again, he has already seen me fully naked before.

When we are both fully dressed again, we head back into the woods, linked together by our hands.

Bellamy

As Clarke and I come nearer to the gate entry, I notice someone leaning up against it, looking out into the woods. It seems like the figure is waiting for something… Yep, I was right. The figure is waiting for something: Clarke and I to come back. Why? Because the 'figure' is _Finn. _

I can tell Clarke notices the same time I do, because her grip on my hand tightens, and I feel her whole body become tense and rigid.

"Why did you two come back_ after_ Octavia and Jasper?" Finn snorts, locking his eyes threateningly on mine.

I open my mouth to speak, but Clarke cuts me off: "Finn, I'm _sorry_." She chokes up, and when I look to her, I see that her gentile eyes have filled with tears. Seeing her like this, over _Finn_, it _kills_ me.

"Leave her alone." I growl, using my eyes to threaten him back.

"How many times have I told you to stay out of this, it's none of your damn business!" Finn yells, shoving me hard backwards. I stumble, releasing Clarke's jarring hand, but don't fall.

"You really wanna play this game with me?" I hiss, pushing him harder. "I will fucking _demolish_ you!"

Finn lurches forwards, aiming to punch me in the face, but I see it coming. I lean to the side, avoiding his fist, and grab his extended arm, using it as leverage to flip him. Once he's on the ground, I kick him, even harder than I'd kicked him the night he'd tried to rape Clarke, and this time I don't think I'll be able to stop.

He tried to take her, he tried to take Clarke away from me. And he almost did it, too. My mind sees only Clarke's face when she'd come back from her talk in the woods with Finn, how distraught, and confused, and upset she was… and then her face again when she'd seen Finn waiting, how her eyes had filled with tears. I remember how she had been with him, slept with him, only to have _Raven_, Finn's _girlfriend_, come down the very next day. She was so hurt. She _is _so hurt. And he keeps hurting her, again, and again, and again, and again. He hurts her. And he won't stop hurting her.

My mind screams, unable to shut down, unable to let what Finn has done to Clarke go. I can't let him hurt her, won't let him have her, need to protect her. So I kick him, again, and again, and again, and again. I kick him. And I can't stop kicking him.

Clarke is screaming now, begging me to stop. My ears shut everything out, and I am left alone in the prison that is my own mind. Alone, seeing no one and nothing but _Finn._

I feel arms wrap around me, pulling me away. I lash out, but there are too many. Seven or eight, I think. I turn my head to look, and grimace when I notice that two belong to Jasper and another two to Jesse.

"Bellamy, stop!" I hear Octavia plead, her voice blending into Clarke's as they blare the same words, over and over again.

"C'mon, Bellamy, he's had enough." Jasper reasons, as he and the others pull me away and back into camp. My vision blurs, then pulls focus, then blurs again, but not before I see _Finn._ His face is covered in blood, gushing from his nose and head, and _Raven's _arms are wrapped tight around him.

I want, so badly, to tell her. To scream it out for the entire camp to hear: Finn tried to rape Clarke! But I don't. If I did, Raven would dump him, and then what? A single Finn is more threatening to me than a taken one, even if Clarke _has _already made her choice. So I bite my lip. I close my eyes. And I let myself be taken back into camp, and laid into my tent. For a long time, I lay, eyes still shut, in my sleeping bag, waiting for Clarke to come in and lay with me. But she doesn't. I wait, and wait, and wait, and finally I hear the sweet sound of tent fabric being shoved away. I practically jump from the blankets, but it isn't Clarke who sits beside me.

"Where's Clarke?" I ask Octavia, my eyes narrow with confusion.

"She went for a walk. She was… I don't know, but she didn't like what you did to Finn. Look, Bellamy, I know Clarke and Finn have history, but he didn't do anything-"

"Don't you dare say that bastard did nothing wrong. You don't know, Octavia, you don't understand…" I shout, running a frustrated hand quickly through my hair. My head and leg both throb, but I don't care.

"What is there to not understand?" Octavia says after a long pause, looking searchingly at me.

"Never mind." I mumble, looking away, but I know my sister. She won't be so easily shut out.

"Bellamy-"

"It's none of your business." I hiss, then cringe when I realize that's what Finn had said just before he started the fight. "Can you go get Clarke for me, please?"

"I told you she went for a walk, I don't know where she is-"

"Outside the gates?!" I yell, jumping to my feet.

"Well yeah-"

"Who is she with?!"

"No one-"

"You're saying Clarke went for a walk, outside the gates, by _herself_?!"

"Well yeah, she was upset-"

I dart from the tent before Octavia finishes her sentence, my face pouring sweat and my hands hot to the touch.

_Grounders. Clarke is alone, in the woods full of angry, savage, torturous Grounders. _

I sprint to the gates, but then my body stops cold. Grounders could be anywhere, or everywhere, no one knows. No one, but my sister.

"Octavia!" I scream, turning around to dash back to my tent, but Octavia is already right behind me.

"I know Lincoln wouldn't-"

"But the other Grounders _would_." I hiss, and she doesn't argue. She knows I'm right. "Where are they?"

"We're gonna need more people than just us two." She says, raising her eyebrows at me.

"Jesse, Miller, Jackson, I need you." I shout, calling them over. "We need to go find Clarke, I think the Grounders may have taken her."

"What?!" a shaky voice roars from behind me. _Finn._

"Holy fucking-"

"You really wanna do this again now, while Clarke is probably getting tortured out there? Some guy you are." he snorts, filling me once again with rage.

"Finn's right, c'mon, Bellamy." Jackson says, nodding his head towards Finn. I'd hit both of them, hell, I want to hit both of them, but they're right. Clarke's in danger, and we need to go. Now.

"I'm coming too!" Jasper shouts, running to catch us as we head for the gate.

"Good, you can replace _Finn._" Raven says, seemingly materializing out of thin air. "Finn, you need to rest-"

"No, I need to find Clarke." He sneers at her, and I see her face redden.

Raven looks away, her mouth forming a twisted smile, and her eyes fill with fury. "You know what? Go. And Bellamy, do me a favor and leave his ass behind when you get into Grounder territory, would you?"

"Raven-" Finn starts, but I cut him off.

"Nothing would make me happier." I nod with a smirk.

"Look, we'll talk about this later, ok?" Finn pleads with her, but she shakes her head.

"Let's go." I nod towards the woods, distributing guns to those coming with me. I purposely don't hand one to Finn. And to both my surprise and delight, when I look back, I see that he is not following us.

_Good. Stay with _Raven_, and don't ever come near _Clarke _again. _

Clarke

My mind is reeling, playing Bellamy kicking the lights out of Finn over and over and over again. The thought brings me to tears, and because I am alone, I allow myself to cry. My legs weaken, and I fall to my knees and lean back onto a twisted oak tree, closing my eyes. As I let my brain run wild, my body loses more and more energy, and I feel as though I am gradually melting into the tree, becoming one with its trunk and roots. My thoughts die down, and I am coaxed into very needed sleep.

"Wake up." A cold, hostile voice orders, and my eyes fly open. _Anya. _My body jolts upward, but is slammed back down to the ground by ropes and rusted chains. I look around, horrified, and notice that I am bound onto a table, surrounded by four grounders, including Anya. I want, so badly, to see Lincoln, but he isn't here.

"W-what d-do you w-want from m-me?" I try to keep my voice steady, but it trembles and falters with every word.

"Nothing. We want the dark haired boy who promised peace to us, yet came instead with weapons and violence in his heart." Ania hisses, staring intimidatingly down at me.

"Finn." I whisper, my heart breaking. Even through all that has happened, all that he has put me through, I still love him. I love him, and I have to protect him. "No, no, that was_ my _fault-"

"We _know _whose fault it was, do not try to say otherwise. You do not leave until we get _Finn_."

"Finn didn't even know that they were there-"

"Enough!" Anya shouts, making my body stiffen. "Do not lie to me, you have done enough."

I brace myself for her to strike me, but she doesn't. My assumption makes her grin, which pisses me off.

"Kyle, stay and watch her. Though I doubt she'll be much of a hassle." She sneers, striding from the room with her other three guards behind her.

I lay on the cold, hard table for what feels like hours, moving only to breathe. When I realize I may have to remain here for days, my body begins to tremble, and the trembling increases when I realize that my only way out is if Finn turns himself in to them. I cannot imagine what Anya would do to him, if it were he lying here in place of me. But it is me who should be here; it was my fault that the treaty fell through!

I let out a sigh, and instantly regret it. The Grounder hovering over me, Kyle, wraps his hand around my throat and pushes down hard.

"You do not speak _here_." he growls, his grip tightening.

I lose oxygen fast, making my head spin and my vision become foggy. My arms instinctively wrench upwards, burning against the freezing chains. Despite my attempts to keep still, my body begins convulsing from lack of air, and I can feel the color draining from my skin. My throat feels as though it has been ignited, causing tears to swell up in my eyes, which only become more plentiful when I realize he may not let go. He has no reason to let go...

"Kyle!" a familiar-sounding voice yells.

But when the owner of the voice approaches, I realize the familiarity was a desperate hallucination. He is tall, a Grounder, and wears an extravagant-looking mask that covers his entire face.

"What?" Kyle hisses, releasing my throat.

I gasp for air, practically balling as my body regains homeostasis.

"I'll take it from here, Anya's orders. She figured you just might try to kill the prisoner." The intruding grounder says, and I can't help but feel relieved. At least this one won't try to kill me, that's all I have to hope for now.

Kyle exits hastily and wrathfully, purposely slamming shoulders with the other grounder as he passes. He slams the door shut behind him, and as soon as the door clicks closed, my new guard darts over to me. His quickness frightens me, and I open my mouth to scream, but his hand covers it before I can make a sound.

"Shhhh! Clarke, it's Lincoln." He whispers, and my eyes swell once again with tears. Lincoln then releases my mouth, and begins to unbind me from the table.

Once I am free, he silently leads me through the door on the other side of the room. We walk down several dark passageways that all look the same, then approach a wall covered entirely with rocks. I am about to ask why he brought me here and not to the exit when he reaches into the wall and yanks loose a big, grey rock from the second-to-bottom row.

"Through here." He nods, and I drop quickly to my knees, crawling into the small passage. He comes in after me, and pulls the rock back up into place behind him. The passage is now pitch black, but I am not afraid. I trust Lincoln, and I know that he loves Octavia, so I continue crawling forwards. After about ten silent minutes, my face runs into something thin and crunchy, so I reach forwards to pull it out of my way. Instantly, light pours into the passage, and I look out into the woods. The obstacle was a large leaf to block the entry.

"Clarke!" Bellamy yells, running towards me. He takes my hands gently, helping me to my feet, then wraps his arms around me in a loving embrace.

"Clarke, I'm so, so sorry." He whimpers, and I find myself crying again.

"For what? I was the one who decided it was a good choice to go for a walk." I choke out, remembering Kyle's hand around my neck.

In my peripheral vision, I see Octavia's lips against Lincoln's, and I can't help but smile. When they pull away, I turn to Lincoln.

"You betrayed your own _people _to save me." I cry, and he smiles down at me.

"I have found new people." His smile widens, taking Octavia's hand in his.

I look to Bellamy, and see he's smiling as well.

"Come back to our camp. You're one of us now." Bellamy invites, nodding his head at Lincoln.

"Please!" Octavia begs him, causing him to smile again.

"We should get out of here. Follow me." Lincoln suggests, and we all follow, taking that as a 'yes'.

As we start back into the woods, my eyes find Jasper, instantly making my smile disappear. I know how much he loves Octavia, and I can't imagine how hard it must be for him to see her with Lincoln. As I stare at Jasper, wishing I could comfort him, my mind plays a sick trick on my eyes, transforming Jasper into _Finn._ Lincoln then becomes Bellamy, and I Octavia. And once again, I find my heart shattering for Finn.

Bellamy

She holds my hand all the way back to camp, yet doesn't say a word. Every one in awhile, I feel a tremble surge through her body, which pains me. I'm glad we have Lincoln here, as the sky is dark now, and I don't even know how to return to camp from Grounder territory in the daytime. As we step into the light of the camp, I look at Clarke, noticing now the bruises that surround her neck.

"Who did that to you?!" I ask, both concerned and enraged.

"A Grounder. Kyle was his name." she looks down to avert my eyes, revealing that it may have been even worse than it looks, though it looks excruciating. "I'm fine." She says, noticing my lingering stare.

I don't say anything else as I lead her through camp, fearing I might say something stupid or insensitive. We reach her tent, and I expect her to drop my hand and go inside, but she doesn't.

"Can I stay with you tonight? I'm sorry, I'm just…" her voice falters, and in the faint light I see a tear roll down her cheek.

I cup her face in my hand, wiping the tear away with my thumb, then gently kiss her forehead.

"Of course." I smile down at her, and she smiles back at me. I then lead her to my tent, pulling aside the flap for her to walk in. It's noticeably the largest tent in camp, and it's all mine, which probably gives me more pride than it should.

Clarke quickly climbs into the sleeping bag and closes her eyes, letting out a tired sigh. I then climb in beside her, careful not to kick her as I do. I can't see a thing, but I can feel her eyes on me.

"You came to rescue me." She whispers after a long moment.

"Of course I did. After all, you are my Princess." I grin, wrapping my arm around her and pulling her body into mine.

She laughs, and the warmth of her smile heats me from head to toe.

"Are you saying you're a Prince, then?" she asks, still giggling.

"Nah. But in this one story that my mother told me, there was a Princess who let herself fall in love with a frog, warts and all. And when she kissed him, this nasty,_ warty_ frog, she somehow turned him _into_ a Prince. _That, _Princess, is what _you_ do to _me. _Every _single _time you kiss me." I whisper, running my hand gently through her hair. I feel her body shake, and she sniffs in, revealing that I'd made her cry. I feel a tear run down my own cheek, and for the first time in my life, I don't feel stupid or weak for crying.

"I'm sorry, it's just…" she chokes, sniffing in again. "I… This probably sounds so stupid considering we've only been together for two days, but… But Bellamy, I _love_ you." Her voice cracks again, sending another tear from my eyes.

"It's not stupid to me, not at all, because I love _you_ too." I whisper, slowly leaning in and pressing my lips softly and gently against hers.

Neither of us speaks again, but we don't need to. We simply lay there, wrapped in each others arms, and allow sleep to slowly take us over. No matter what happens now, I know that everything will be okay. No, not just 'okay', _perfect._ Clarke loves me and I love her, and now, from this day on, I will _never_ be the same.

I am not a frog anymore. I, Bellamy Blake, am finally a _Prince, _and damn do I love my Princess.

18


End file.
